History of Flamenco at the Alhambra. The genius of Federico Garcia Lorca and Manuel de Falla

Did you know that Falla had dreamed of living in Granada ever since he was a child? Although he trained as a musician in Europe, he hoped to travel to Granada. And so he did. Did he find what he expected? Perhaps even more. Besides working on his masterpiece, and doing so in a “carmen,” one the traditional homes in Granada, he got to experience the liveliness of young Lorca.

Like Don Manuel, Federico was not to be contented by imagination alone. He wanted to create things, as he had been with puppet shows in his village. However, he had also lived the distractions of youth. Falla helped him in both ways.
The two enjoyed popular songs and, sharing this common bond, Don Manuel pushed Lorca to achieve discipline while performing research and work, as well. Federico gave him a breath of fresh air, with the enthusiasm of someone who knows he has his whole life ahead of him. That is how they were able to put on the first “cante jondo” flamenco singing contest in 1922.

We will help you see all of the places inside and outside the Alhambra that bore witness to their efforts to elevate Andalusia’s ‘‘cante jondo,” on a journey to the origins of Lorca’s inspiration by the Gypsy people, and the result of in-depth research which the two friends carried out to seek the folk roots of the music heard in Granada and its outlying villages.

In addition to other sites, we will visit the bathhouse on Calle Real, the Plaza del Aljibe, the Alhambra Palace Hotel, the inside of the Manuel de Falla House-Museum and the Legacy Museum of Ángel Barrios, one of the most interesting and complete museums in the city of Granada.

Share this tour with whomever you wish, as we will delve into ‘‘duende,’’ the concept that Lorca used to describe a unique virtue which some artists embody when displaying their talent, born from a deep feeling within, as if drawing from a power that lies beyond just learned technique. It is a difficult concept to understand, and one which Lorca investigated and wrote about to give a conference titled: ‘‘Theory and Play of the Duende.”

If you are also curious about the meaning Lorca gave to this idea, join us on the search to put together the pieces of a story with scents of lemon and peppermint.

Find out more about our Granada Tours in the Cicerone walking tours list.